Device for refacing valve-seats.



H. S. CLARK & R. NETTER.

DEVICE FOR BEFACING VALVE SEATS'. APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 1o. 19u71 Patented Ja11.5, 1909.

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HARRY S. CLARK AND RAPHAL NETTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THE GENERAL PUMP APPLIANCE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR REFACING VALVE-SEATS.

Application led August 10,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

1907. Serial No. 387,976.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that we, HARRY S. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and RAPHAEL i NETTEE, a citizen of the Republic of France, both residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Refacing Valve-Seats, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawing accompanying and forming part of the same.

One of the problems met with in the upkeep of power-pumps is the care of the valve seats. These seats are generally made of i brass, bronze, or other metal not readily corroded, but nevertheless they do suffer corrosion, and also undergo wear from sand or other solid impurities in the water, so that sooner or later the desired hermetic fit. be tween the seat and the valve disk is no longer possible, giving rise to leaks which impair the efficiency of the pump. Furthermore, worn or corroded seats are destructive to the valve disks, necessitating more frequent renewal of the latter than is the case when the seats are in good condition. Hence economical maintenance and operation of the pump require that the valve seats be frequently refaced 01 redressed, but this refacing or redressing` can only be effected at the cost of much time and labor, and is thus both expensive and annoying on account of the laborcost and the fact that while the work is going on the pump is necessarily out of commission.

Heretofore, so far as we are aware, it has been practically necessary to remove the valve seats from the pump to permit their refacing. Pumps are usually provided with hand-holes or similar openings affording convenient access to the valves for the purpose of inspection; but in the great majority of cases, if not all, it is quite impossible to remove the valve seats by the access thus afforded, chiefly because of the fact that the seats, whether screwed or driven in, are very tightly fitted in their places, as must be the case to secure the desired close fit; so that sufficient grasp or purchase for the removal of the seats cannot be secured through the narrow confines of a hand-hole. it therefore becomes necessary to dismantle the pump, by the removal of various parts, such as the air-chamber and the cover above the valve chamber to gain access to the upper valves, and the piston to gain access to the lower valves. This operation alone involves considerable time and labor, to say nothing of the subsequent reassembling of such parts, which are heavy and cumbersome to handle; and the work is not facilitated by locating the pump in a confined space, far under ground and in a stifling atmosphere, as is often the case.

l/v hen the refacing of the valve seats of a single pump thus involves so much time and Y labor, and when it is remembered that refacing is required, in general, several times a year or even oftener, it will at once be apparent that where a number of pumps, of large capacity and many valves, are in use, as for example in mines, large buildings, etc., the cost of keeping the valve seats in the good condition necessary for elhcient opera-` tion is a very considerable factor in the maintenance, cost of the plant and that without regard to the inevitable time loss.

lo ith these considerations in mind we have been led to devise our present invention, our chief object being to provide thereby a device of simple construction and operation by which the valve seats can be accurately refaced without removal from the pump; a further object being to provide for the purpose mentioned a'device which can be introduced and operated through the hand-holes, thus obviating the laborious dismantling of the pump heretofore necessary.

ln its preferred forms our invention includes a stem or spindle, or equivalent device, which can be arranged in fixed relation to the valve seat, preferably by fixing it in the aperture or socket in the valve seat which receives the valve stem a refacing tool rotatable on the spindle, for example an ordinary face grinder in the form of a circular disk having an abrading face; and mechanism for rotating the tool in engage ment with the valve seat, which mechanism preferably includes a flexible shaft, so that the power of the actuating motor, of whatever character the latter may be, can be conveniently transmitted through a handhole or other narrow o ening.

Three devices emboc ying the above features are illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein-e- Figure l shows in vertical section a convenient type of device, in which the shaft to which the power is applied extends laterally from the devices. Fig. 2 is a cross section on line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows in vertical section another type, in which the shaft to which the power is applied extends in line with the central spindle. Fig. 4 shows in vertical section a type combining certain features of the other two, permitting the power shaft to be connected laterally to the device or in line with the spindle, as may be most convenient in using the device. Fig. 5 shows the method of using our invention to reface valve seats without removing the same from the pump. 'Ihe pump illustrated is one of a common type and is shown in longitudinal section.

Referring now to Fig. l, A indicates a stem or spindle, adapted to be fixed firmly in the central aperture of the valve seat B, preferablyT by means of screwthreads, as shown. To facilitate the insertion and removal of the spindle it may be provided with an angular head a, for convenient engagement with a wrench. rIhe aperture in which the spindle is fixed is the one which supports the valve stem, and is usually tapered so as to hold the stem perfectly rigid. In such case the taper may be availed of to hold the spindle A in the same way; but where the aperture is not tapered, a seating plug a may be inserted in the aperture, against which the spindle may be tightly screwed. To facilitate insertion and removal of the seating plug it may have in one end an angular socket to receive the correspondingly shaped end of a suitable tool, or an angular head to be grasped by a wrench, or both, as shown at a2 and a3.

Rotatably mounted on the spindle A is a refacing disk or grinder C of any ordinary and suitable kind having an abrading face adapted to bear on the valve seat. Above the grinder and surrounding the spindle is a sleeve D and as this sleeve is, in the operation of the device, stationary with respect to the grinder, a ball bearing may be interposed between the two.

On the spindle above the sleeve is an expansible coiled spring d bearing against a stop nut d', adjustable on the spindle so that the pressure with which the spring causes the 0rinder to engage the valve seat may be reguIated as desired.

Surrounding the sleeve D and capable of free rotation thereon is a bevel gear E which is keyed to the grinder C in any suitable manner. In order that both faces of the refacing disk may be available and to provide for the ball bearing between it and the sleeve D a steel plate E is secured to the under side of the bevel gear E by screws e. This plate forms the lower member of the race-way for the balls, and the screw heads entering indentations in the surface of the refacing disk, serve as keys to lock the bevel gear and disk together. Above the bevel gear is a bracket F, having a tubular portion f which surrounds the sleeve D and supports the bracket, and having also a depending arm f Rotatably mounted in bearings in the said arm and tubular portion is a short shaft G, extended beyond the arm a short distance as shown, for convenient connection with a source of power, for example by means of a flexible shaft J, Fig. 5, slipped over and tightly embracing the projecting end of the shaft. Keyed on the shaft H between the arm f and tubular portionf is a bevel gear I, in mesh with the gear E, so that rotation of the shaft II will actuate the refacing disk C.

rlhe method ofusing the device above described is clearly shown in Figs. l and 2. An adjacent hand hole being uncovered, the valve stem and disk are removed and the refacing device arranged on the valve seat as in the figures just referred to, the bracket F being turned to present it in the most convenient position relative to the hand-hole through which the flexible shaft extends. The latter is then rotated by any convenient means, as a hand-operated mechanism, or by other suitable device, for example an electric motor K. Inasmuch as the bracket can turn more easily on the sleeve D than the refacing tool C can rotate in engagement with the valve seat it will be at once apparent that the rotation of the shaft H and gear I would cause the latter simply to roll on the gear E and so wrap the flexible shaft around the device instead of rotating the refacing tool. To prevent this occurrence suitable means are provided, which while permitting the adjustment of the bracket in either direction will prevent it from rotating about the spindle. 'Ihe means employed for the purpose in the present embodiment is a ratchet construction, and comprises a spring pressed pin or pawl L in the bracket, extending through an aperture in the sleeve D into engagement with one of a series of ratchet teeth af* in the spindle A, so formed that the bracket cannot turn about the spindle in the direction of the rotation of the shaft H and gear I (which are driven preferably clockwise to obviate any possibility of unscrewing or loosening the spindle from the aperture in which it is fixed) but can turn freely in the opposite direction. It will therefore beV seen that rotation of the flexible shaft in the proper direction will actua-te the refacing tool C in engagement with the valve seat and cause the latter to be faced rapidly to the desired smooth and plane condition, after which the device is removed and arranged on the next seat to be faced. In Fig. 5 no hand-hole is shown by which the lower seats at the rear of the piston can be reached. In any such case as this the desired access to the valves can be had by removal of the most convenient part of the pump, as will be readily understood. In Fig. 5 the valve seats referred to are reached by removal of the rear cylinderf head', as shown, the refacing device being shown at work in dotted lines.

In order to reach every part of the valve seat with the refacing disk the latter is of slightly greater diameter than the seat, and the spindle A above the threaded lower portion is made somewhat smaller than the valve stem aperture, so that the opening in the disk can be made small enough to permit it to extend over the edge of the valve seat aperture, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. 1n this way the valve seat may be refaced until completely worn away. The threaded head formed on the lower end of the spindle serves to retain the refacing tool on the spindle when the device is not in use, as will be readily understood. To dismember the device, the pin or pawl L is retracted from engagement with the spindle, and may be held in retracted position by adjusting its stop nut Z. The nut d on the top of the 'spindle is then removed, after which the bracket F, sleeve D, gear E, and disk C can be removed one at a time or together. To permit removal of the gear I and shaft H from their supporting bracket the shaft is enlarged where it has bearing in the arm f, as shown, and the key used to key the gear and shaft together is of less height than the enlargement of the shaft, so that the latter can be drawn out of its bearings, as will be readily understood.

Referring now to Fig. 3, in the device shown in this figure the spindle A is fixed in the valve seat B like the spindle in Fig. l, and may be seated on a seating plug like that shown at a in Fig. 1, if necessary or desirable. The spindle A is also reduced in diameter above the threaded lower portion. Rotatable on the spindle is the refacing tool C. Above the latter and rotatably mounted on the spindle is an externally threaded casingM, held on the spindle by a stop-nut m, between which and the said casing a ball bearing may be employed, as shown. Screwed firmly on the upper portion of the casing is an annulus N, having a yoke n extending over the angular head of the spindle. Bigidly secured in the center of the yoke is a short shaft or stem H', for convenient connection with a source of power, for example by means of a flexible shaft as in the case of the device first described. 1t will now be seen that rotation of the shaft H will rotate the casing M on the spindle. To connect the refacing disk with the casing, screws O are provided, extending from apertures in the disk and screwing into the bottom of the casing. On the casing below the annulus N is an adjustable stop-nut P, against which bears an expansible coil spring p. Atits lower end the spring bears against a plate p resting on the refacing disk C', so that the spring serves to hold the latter yieldingly against the valve seat. To regulate the pressure of the disk on the seat it is only necessary to adjust the nut P.

The device just described is used substantially as that illustrated in Fig. 1, and is shown in use in Fig. 5, in dotted lines at Q. Each device can be used in places where the other cannot. Thus, to use the device of Fig. 3 on the valve seat at the ends of the valve chamber in Fig. 5 would require the flexible shaft, (which it will be remembered extends upwards in line with the spindle), being rather sharply bent, on account of the slight clearance between the valve seat and the cover of the valve chamber. The device of Fig. l, however, in which the flexible shaft extends laterally, is therefore better for this location. On the other hand, to reach the valve seat below the piston, at the forward end thereof, with the device of Fig. l, would require a similar bend in the flexible shaft, and hence for this position the device of Fig. 3 is better adapted.

To dismember the device illustrated in Fig. 3 the nut m is removed by means of a Spanner or other suitable tool engaging the nut in the recesses m. During this operation the spindle may be held by a wrench on the square head or by a suitable tool inserted in a transverse aperture at the lower end. Removal of the nut m permits the casing M and the associated parts to be lifted off the spindle, the plate 29 being retained in connection with the casing by the heads of screws O. The annulus N, nut P, screws O and spring p can then be readily removed.

In order to avoid the use of' two refacing tools with means for attaching the flexible driving shaft horizontally and vertically, respectively, a single instrument may be used adapted for either connection as shown in Fig. 4. In said figure a bracket head n is screwed down or otherwise xed to the end of the spindle A and is formed to provide two bearings for a horizontal shaft HH and a vertical shaft E. The shaft H carries a bevel gear I that meshes with a bevel gear E loosely mounted on spindle A and engaging with the refacing disk C by means of the set screws 0', the heads of which enter apertures in said disk.

A nut P surrounds the threaded hub of the bevel gear and serves as an abutment for a coiled spring d that exerts a regulable pressure upon the refacing disk. A ball caring is interposed between the bevel gear E and an adjustable flange or nut R surrounding the threaded upper portion of the spindle A.

The shaft H, in the vertical bearing provided in the bracket head n carries a bevel gear 1 keyed to it and meshing with a bevel gear 1 keyed to shaft H. The latter will be rotated, therefore, whether the flexible driving shaft be connected directly thereto or to the shaft H not in use, or when its presence would interfere with the application of the instrument it may be removed, together with its bevel gear I from the bracket.

The instrument may, obviously, be modified in many other particulars than those specifically illustrated, and provided with many mechanical eXpedients for facilitating its application, assemblement and dismemberment. Aside from the essential features, therefore, enumerated in the broader statement of claim the improvement may be very greatly modified, without departure from the invention.

What we claim is:

l. An instrument for refacing the valve seats of pumps and similar devices, comprising in combination, a spindle adapted for fixed attachment to the valve seat, a refacing tool rotatable thereon in position to engage the surface of the valve seat, a support mounted on said spindle and a shaft carried thereby for imparting rotation to the refacing tool.

2. An instrument for refacing the valve seats of pumps and similar devices, compris ing in combination, a spindle adapted for fixed attachment to the valve seat, a refacing disk or plate rotatable thereon in position to engage the surface of the valve seat, a support mounted on the spindle, means for locking the support to the spindle, a shaft carried by the support, and gearing intermediate to the shaft and refacing disk.

3. In an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination with a spindle adapted to be iixedly attached to the valve seat, of a refacing disk or plate rotatable on said spindle in position to engage the surface of the valve seat, an adjustable pressure spring arranged to exert pressure on said disk, a support mounted on the spindle, and a driving shaft carried thereby for imparting rotation to the disk.

4. ln an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination of a spindle adapted to be screwed into the valve stem socket of a valve seat, a refacing disk rotatable thereon in position to engage the surface of the valve seat, a support mounted on and adjustable around the spindle, a shaft mounted therein, gearing intermediate to the shaft and refac- When the shaft H is ing disk, and means for imparting rotation to said shaft.

5. In an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination of a spindle adapted to be fixedly attached to the valve seat, a refacing disk rotatable thereon in position to engage the surface of the valve seat, a support mounted on said spindle, a spring ada ted to force the disk into engagement with t ie surface of the valve seat, anti-friction bearings between the disk and the stationary spindle, and a shaft carried by the support for imparting rotation to the disk.

6. In an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination with a spindle adapted to be lixedly attached to a valve seat, of a refacing disk mounted on the spindle and means supported by the spindle for imparting rotation to the disk in contact with the valve seat surface, as set forth.

7. In an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination with a spindle adapted to be fiXedly attached to the valve seat, of a refacing disk rotatable on said spindle in contact with the surface to be dressed, a sleeve mounted on the spindle and movable longitudinally thereon, an anti-friction bearing between the sleeve and disk, a pressure spring between the' sleeve and the spindle, and means carried by the sleeve for imparting rotation to the disk.

8. In an instrument for refacing valve seats, the combination with a spindle adapted to be 'fiXedly attached to a valve seat, of a refacing disk rotatable thereon in position to engage with the surface of the valve seat, a bevel gear keyed to the disk and means supported by the stationary spindle for imparting rotation to the disk through the bevel gear, as set forth.

9. In an instrument for refacing valve seats the combination with a spindle adapted to be fiXedly attached to a valve seat, of a refacing tool mounted on and capable of rotation about said spindle and in engagement with the valve seat, and means for actuating said tool, as set forth.

HARRrs. CLARK. RAPHAEL NETTER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. MAHAN, WILLIAM BORGES. 

